How to Make a Classic Champagne Cocktail

Traditionally, a Champagne cocktail is made with just four ingredients: a sugar cube saturated with bitters, topped with Champagne, and garnished with lemon. Once you’ve gotten the hang of this simple apéritif, the Champagne Cocktail is also endlessly customizable.

1. 1. Try different sweeteners. There’s more than one way to sweeten a Champagne cocktail. Try maple syrup, granulated sugar, or simple syrup instead of the sugar cubes. If you don’t have sugar cubes, try substituting 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or ¼ ounce maple syrup or simple syrup. Simple syrup mixes more easily, but you'll miss the fizz of the sugar cube.
2. 2. Add liquor. For a more alcoholic drink, try adding a half-ounce of Cognac, Armagnac, rum, gin, or even vodka.
3. 3. Try a different sparkler. Sub the Champagne for other varieties of sparkling wine, such as cava or prosecco
4. 4. Add some juice. Add a little fruit juice, such as fresh lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, or even cranberry juice to make your Champagne cocktail more colorful. Don’t use too much juice, though, or you’ll veer into mimosa territory.
5. 5. Play with bitters and liqueurs. Angostura bitters are the classic bitter to use for Champagne Cocktails, but you can play with other bitters, like Peychaud’s. Ditch the bitters entirely in favor of a liqueur, such as Chambord, Campari, Grand Marnier, Suze, elderflower liqueur, or Aperol. Try a raspberry- or peach-flavor liqueur to mimic the flavor of a bellini (made with peach purée and Champagne).